The Story of Sarelle: The Immortal Years {INCOMPLETE}

Chapter 26

Hey....

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The coming week I spent more time buried in Alice's closet than I did out of it. She was taking the school dance as the perfect opportunity to flex her fashionista muscles. It was nice to do something so ordinary after the turbulence that had shaken up my life since the Cullens arrived last July. As with Carlisle's charity ball Alice had free rein over everyone's outfit, and since I would be attending the dance with the Cullens I had allowed that control to extend to my own outfit. The only aspect she had little control over was the colour. That had already been decided as soon as Alfie and I decided we would attend together.
As I looked at the blood red satin dress draped on the hanger I reminisced over the peculiar friendship Alife and I had developed in the past week and the moment we decided to go together.
I went straight to the seat beside Alfie as I entered the history class with Alice. We hadn't been allowed to return to our previous seating arrangement, much to Alice's chagrin.
She gave me a woeful smile as she slid into the seat beside Simon.
"Hi." Alfie whispered beside me. Since our first proper conversation last week he had become more confident around me. Not that he had much choice. Since watching Dylan walk away I had taken to talking at Alfie until it got the point that he started to return the conversation. Maybe it was transference, but all I knew was that since Dylan left I felt the need to prove I could still interact with the humans around me. I wanted to blend in, not segregate myself to the Cullens company.
"Hi," I returned as I arranged my books and pens on the desk. "Did you listen to that composer I told you about?"
"Yeah I did. Took some searching but it was worth it. How did you hear about him?" He toyed with his notepad as he spoke. It was one of the many things I had started to catalogue about Alfie. He was never at rest, always fiddling with something as if it were inherent for his fingers to constantly be moving.
"I'd just heard of him, a while back," I said offhandedly. He didn't need to know that I had in fact known the composer when he was still working 150 years ago.
"You're different to other girls." Again his green eyes pierced mine as he seemed to search for something to sate is curiosity.
"Am I?" I asked innocently as I started to slowly copy down the work on the board. One hazard of working beside humans is that everything had to be done painstakingly slowly.
"Yes," he said with the hint of a smile.
I chuckled as I replied, "you don't give much away, do you?"
"Neither do you."
"I suppose, so I guess we've each met our match." At this his tentative smile became a blinding flash of pearly white teeth and dimples. It was a shame it was so fleeting but through my time spent with Alfie I had learnt such obvious signs of emotions were rare. He was capable of a mask just as impassive as my own.
"I guess we have." He paused, twisting his pen around in his fingers as words seemed to stick on his tongue. "So, maybe, we could... I mean maybe we should... instead of forcing other people to, not that you would have to force someone-"
"Class, you should all have the questions written down from the board so now I want you to discuss them in relation to the pages we've been reading." Mr Powers bellowed through the room, cutting Alfie's words off has quickly as if he had stolen the air from his lungs.
Despite asking him, he never finished what he was going to say and instead retreated back to the boy who hid behind his black hat and shaggy black hair.
It wasn't until Alice skipped towards me with a knowing smile on her face that I learned the intention behind his stuttered words, "He'll be wearing an all black suit and blood red tie. Very stylish, especially for him." She said with a wink as she nodded in Alfie's direction. He was loping down the corridor with his usual long strides and head hung low. It was almost comical to see a boy so tall try to shrink amongst the crowd.
"To the dance?" I asked.
She rolled her eyes as she replied, "Yes to the dance. He's hardly the type to turn up to school all suited and booted." She took on a wistful gaze, "Although it would be so nice if they all did."
"Alice, I can't go to the dance with him. It's too risky."
"Why? It's just dancing, barely that the way some on them do it these days," she said as we continued to slowly follow Alfie towards the library.
"Rose will have a field day." I grinned as the idea settled in my mind. Would it be so bad to go to the dance with a human? The others all had dates, dance partners to while away the hours. Why shouldn't I have the same?
"And you will look divine in red." Alice finished as she pushed me lightly in Alfie's direction before spinning to leave, blowing a kiss as she went.
"Alfie!" I called as I jogged lightly towards him, my feet as light as a feather.
He spun with a look of shock as he glanced down at me. "Sarelle, I didn't hear you coming."
"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." I brushed my hair behind my ear nervously. I had never asked a boy to an event before. Yet another experience this school was giving me.
"I was just wondering.." I started as students bustled past us, some gawping as if surprised I conversed with anyone other than the Cullens.
"Yeah?" Alfie prompted as he tried to hide the blush on his cheeks. It seemed the attention I was drawing to the two of us was very much unwanted on his part.
"Would you go to the dance with me?" I rushed out with a smile. A few more students in our nearby vicinity gasped and immediately started conferring about how my asking must have been some kind of joke.
"What?" Alfie stuttered as he stared at my with a dazed expression. His lower lip hanging slack in his surprise.
"I know we don't know each other that well but apart from my family you're the only other person I know here." I stared up at him, wide eyed and hopeful that he might snap out of his daze and answer.
"You want me to go to the dance with you?"
"Yes." I beamed.
"Me?" He pointed at himself as if to clarify and I chuckled at how adorably insecure he was. Perhaps there was something I could do about that in time.
"Do you know another Alfie Hutton?"
He leaned down a little closer and I held my breath against the smell of his blood, so clear above the fresh scent of his soap. No other products mingling in my senses. No hair gel, or overpowering aftershave. Just him, clean and untainted.
Luscious. my mind whispered as my mouth watered. I swallowed stiffly.
"Is this a joke?"He said in a voice so small that I cringed against the knowledge that there must have been several past occasions when such a thing would have been a joke. When others ridiculed him for his love of the unusual. I could relate to such a feeling and it fuelled my desire to help him even more. I was determined that by the time the dance was over, Alfie Hutton would be the envy of all of Colter Bay High.
I snapped out of the memory with a smile on my face. He had eventually understood that I wasn't joke, although he had continued to check with me each day we saw each other. As if I would change my mind.
"If you don't get dressed soon we're going to be late." Alice sniped as she peered out of her dressing room.
"Do you actually believe that, or do you just like being bossy." I quipped as I glanced at her over my shoulder, my hair cascading over my shoulder in neatly styled waves.
"A bit of both."
In a matter of seconds I had slipped the dress on and eased my feet into the black velvet heels Alice had picked out for me.
"I knew vintage Ralph Lauren would look gorgeous on you. You're so lucky to have the bust to fill it out." Her voice tinkled in my ear as she passed her petite hands around my waist, retying the sash to her liking.
The red silk felt as supple as a breeze against my skin, floating playfully above my knees. the deep V mirrored on the back sank into a fitted waist that was accentuated by the delicate red bow at my side. It was far from the seductive dress I had worn to Carlisle's charity event but it was perfect for tonight. Young and flirtatious without being intimidating to the others around us. Alice had yet again struck fashion gold.
"Don't forget your bag." She called over her shoulder as she disappeared to check on the rest of the family. She was like a fashion dictator, ensuring all in her path were dressed with the greatest of style.
I turned a grabbed the black crystal heart shaped bag, checking its contents against the checklist in my head.
Lipstick, money, ticket, phone...
"You're missing something," Edward said as he slipped into the room and headed towards the dressing table. Leaning ever so closely as he reached for a black crystal bracelet.
"I was just about to do that."
"Allow me," he said as he lightly took my hand in his, sliding his nimble fingers up to my wrist where he fastened the glittering chain. Electricity raced on my skin as I watched him intently skim his eyes over my outfit. His eyes burned when they met mine, his fingers sliding down to link with my own while his other hand reached to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear.
I stepped away with a sigh, painfully aware of the others in the rest of the house.
"You look nice," I commented, and he did. In fact nice was far too nice a word for the way he looked. Ravishing was better suited but far less appropriate. He stood a stark contrast of black Italian suit and midnight blue shirt. The shade brought his coppery brown hair to life.
"You too," he murmured as his eyes cast over my outfit. "Alfie won't be able to keep his eyes off you," he finished, and something in his tone told me Alfie wouldn't be the only one.
"We should go. Before Alice throws a tantrum," he said offhandedly as we exited the room and made to join the others downstairs.
"Why on earth would she throw a tantrum? It's only a dance." I chuckled as Edward turned to me with a grin.
"We said that of the prom of 2015," he said in an aside.
"Esme had to retile the entire marble ground floor thanks to the way she stomped her feet." Emmett added, his face alight with a smile as he greeted us in his dark grey suit.
"I suffered too!" Alice called as she came from the living room with Jasper, a vision in shimmering gold satin in contrast to his stark black and white. "I broke the heel of my favourite Jimmy Choos." She pouted but I couldn't help but laugh.
"So is this why you never again attended school dances?" I asked as the rest of the group gathered, each dressed impeccably. I even conceded that Bella had turned out well in her flowing midnight blue dress. Perfectly matched to the colour of Edward's shirt.
"It may have played a part." Jasper added, quickly followed by a loving kiss upon Alice's head.
"That and Jake spiked the punch at the last dance and let's just say a couple of the jocks got a bit handsy with Rose," Emmett said with a laugh.
The group chuckled and I glanced towards Jacob. He had dressed with converse on his feet, plain black trousers, and a slightly unbutton white shirt. A cheeky smile lit up his face and for the first time I thought perhaps I was seeing the real him. All the previous meetings he had seemed tense and wary, but I wondered if it was because of the other company rather than his personality. Now as I watched him chat amongst the group, interact with them, I noticed how warm he was. Was it possible that he had just taken on the job of guard dog previously? Cautious of the strangers infiltrating his pseudo-family? I would never fully understand the dynamic within the Cullen family, or how wolf and vampire coexisted in such close proximity but I thought perhaps I now stood a chance at understanding Jacob, as a person rather than just a wolf.
We left soon after. Once Esme and Carlisle had taken photos with even the Denalis and Aslo coming to see us all off. It odd to be so old yet feel so young. To be attending an event without the safety net of Aslo or any of the Denalis. This was the first event I would be attending masquerading as part of the Cullen family and it felt strangely significant. Like some test of our compatibility. Was there room for me in this family with Bella, Jake, and Ren present? Did I still fit?
I touched my locket that hung gently against my chest as I stepped out of the car, followed by Jasper and Alice while Rose and Emmett fishtailed into the car park in the Mercedes. They always knew how to make an entrance.
"Do you want us to wait with you?" Alice asked as we gathered in the car park.
"Don't be ridiculous, Alice. She's a century and a half old vampire." Rose said with a roll of her eyes as she took Emmett's arm and went to go inside.
"Oh I don't know Rose, maybe we should be here when the boy arrives. Make sure he knows there'll be no funny business." Emmett voice boomed as his eyes glinted menacingly. "Can't have anyone taking liberties with my sis."
"Plus we don't want her looking like a loner." Alice piped in again.
"Just go inside. Please." I sighed with exasperation, shooting a pained smile to Jasper who grinned and slowly moved Alice to the entrance. Rose was doing the same with Emmett although every now and then he twisted his head round like a toddler trying to get one last look at a toy.
To my relief Alfie's car turned up at the same time as Edward's so when Edward and the others came towards me I had the distraction of Alfie to stop me from seeing the mild disgruntlement in Edward's expression. I could still hear, however, Ren's tinkling voice expressing her excitement and complimenting Alfie on his suit.
And she was right to because he looked so utterly transformed from his usual attire. Gone was the black beanie hat and ripped black jeans. Instead he stood in a black suit that, despite its off the peg origins, fit him well. Beneath he had a black shirt undone slightly at the top to reveal a sliver of his alabaster skin. And finally, setting off the outfit was a blood red pocket square tucked in haphazardly to his suit pocket. He seemed to stand a little taller when his green eyes met mine and I smiled at the notion that all it had taken was a good suit to make him realise that he was worth looking at. That it wasn't sure a bizarre thing for me to want to be here with him.
I waited patiently as he made his way towards me, his black dress shoes crunching on the gravel.
"He looks nice, doesn't he?" Ren commented as they made to pass me.
"Yes he does." I replied with a warm smile.
"We should go inside." Edward said stiffly as he moved his group to meet the others.
"See you soon" I called to them just as Alfie approached. "That is quite a suit, Mr Hutton." I said with a grin.
"That's quite a dress." He all but stammered, a blush coating his cheeks.
I swallowed reflexively.
"Thank you," I said softly as a beamed at him. It all felt so normal. Just a boy and a girl going to a dance. I loved it.
"There's just one little thing I've got to do."
"Runaway?" He asked, half joking. Another reminder that he probably hadn't had it easy in high school.
"No, silly," I said as I reached for the scrunched red fabric in his pocket. "If I don't fix it, it'll bug me all night," I chuckled as I removed the red satin and smoothed it into shape between my fingers and returned it to his pocket. My hand warmed at the feel of his heart pumping loudly in his chest.
"You fold pocket squares, you listen to classical music, next you'll say you can dance a waltz." He teased with a wry smile.
"Well.."
His eyes widened as he chuckled in disbelief. "Are you sure you weren't born in the 1900s?"
I laughed lightly in the hope to disguise my discomfort. Had I given away so much as to ruin my 'ordinary teenage girl' fascade?
"We should go inside, I guess. Can't do much dancing out here."
"Plus you must be freezing. I can't believe you didn't bring a coat." He replied as we made our way to the double doors. A pinkish light shone through the windows as loud chart music seeped out the gaps. I linked my arm with Alfie's as we both opened the door and were hit with the heat of the many bodies, the scent of sweat and sweetness, and the stares of the entire student body.
My composure faltered ever so slightly and I wondered for a moment if this valentines would turned out to be a bloody one.

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So..... yeah.